From Ben Smith’s blog on the political website The Politico, Democrat John Edwards to suspend his campaign. His wife, Elizabeth, has had a recurrence of breast cancer:

Edwards to Suspend Campaign

John Edwards is suspending his campaign for President, and may drop out completely, because his wife has suffered a recurrence of the cancer that sickened her in 2004, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, an Edwards friend told The Politico.

“At a minimum he’s going to suspend” the campaign, the source said. “Nobody knows precisely how serious her recurrence is. It’ll be another couple of days before there’s complete clarity.”

“For him right now he has one priority which is her health and the security of the two young children,” said the friend.

As for the campaign, “You don’t shut this machine off completely, but everything will go on hold.”

UPDATE: From an Edwards’ spokeswoman: “Anything you are getting from someone claiming to know right now is not true – anyone claiming to know something right now is making it up. There is no information from this campaign until John and Elizabeth speak at noon,” says spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield.

Edwards is on TV now.

UPDATE ROUND TWO: Edwards says he is NOT suspending his campaign. Elizabeth Edwards’ cancer has returned in her rib; it is not curable but can be treated. Both say they are optimistic.

Here is “The Associated Press”:http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070322/D8O1B0T01.html story.